THIS WEEK'S TOPIC ON DOV'S 8 AM CALL ON THURSDAY April, 6:

Today's the 10th of Nissan.

Today, lets take our avoda zara, the porn, and tie it to the bedpost (perhaps the bed-post is a symbol of our sexual desires).

Let's reveal it what it really is. Just like our ancestors revealed that their "god" is only a stinkin' sheep, our "god" is only temporary pleasure of the flesh.

All HaShem wanted from the Jews before freeing them was a sign that they wanted to be free.

What did they have to do? Take the sheep, their "god", tie it up and see it tied up for 4 days. Then kill it. Take it's blood and smear it on the doorposts. Eat it with some matza and marror. Do brit mila.

For us...

Take the porn, tie it up with good filters.

Kill it. Delete all movies and files you have on your computer, phone, CDs, magazines whatever.

Sheep tied to the bedpost.

Brit Mila.

See a pattern here?

Their struggle is our struggle.

The Jews did not want to leave. They thought it was so good to be enslaved.According to the Midrash, 80 percent of the Jews died in Egypt because they did not want to leave.

Most of the world loves porn, including Jews too.

Do we want to leave the world of porn? Or do we want to remain enslaved forever?

If the latter, we'll die too, a spiritual death.

If the former, make a couple of small actions like our forefathers did, and HaShem will redeem us.

Actions like:

- Saying "no" to the Y"H.

- Deleting improper photos.

- Turning away from that good looking woman walking down the street.

Hashem is just waiting to take us out, but first we have to show that we WANT to leave!

One of the slogans of the 12-step program is "Keep it simple (stupid)". It is important to keep things simple. We make things difficult by complicating them.

"Simple" does not mean "easy." A command to lift a 100 pound weight is simple, it's just very hard. If we keep things simple and are willing to do hard work, we can triumph.

Before Rebbe Yohanan ben Zakai died, his talmidim asked him for a bracha. He said, "May you fear Hashem as much as you fear other people". There are things a person would be ashamed to be seen doing by others, but is not ashamed to be seen doing them by Hashem."

People who would be afraid to look at pornography in a smut store because someone might see them there, have no shame in being seen by Hashem. The first paragraph in the Shulchan Aruch instructs us to constantly be aware that we are in the imminent presence of Hashem and behave accordingly.

That is simple. There is nothing complex about it. It is just very hard to do.

We must work hard to attain yiras shamayim. Mesilas yesharim points out that we must work diligently to get it, "like one who searches for silver and digs for treasure." If you don't find the treasure at first, you don't give up. You continue digging, even exhausting yourself in order to find the treasure. That's how we must work for yiras shamayim. It is not going to just drop down from heaven.

Pray hard and tearfully for yiras shamayim. Our lives depend on it. Read the essays in mussar on developing yiras shamayim. This is a prayer that is always answered, provided that we really want it.

Twerski

An anonymous sponsor (Yitzi) is willing to send the book "The Light of Ephraim" to anyone in the USA who commits to read it bl"n. The book is written in story format with great lessons and perspective on purity struggles. Send an e-mail to yitzi.26@gmail.com

"Pe Re" writes:

I live in Argentina, I'm not really Jewish, but appreciate this network which helps fight what all religions deem a sin. 

I want to tell, now I started study in a mixed college, it's full of young ladies who are very much uncovered. Same in the streets, fashion posters, Metro so on.  I discarded watching TV, movies, so on. I erased my social media, also, and hide my own cell phone to avoid re-opening my accounts.

Do you have a problem with obsessive and compulsive porn use? Have you seriously tried the tools on GYE and feel that you are not getting better? Maybe it’s time to consider joining a 12-Step program.

Porn Anonymous (PA)
If you’re compulsively acting-out with pornography and masturbation we suggest you explore joining Porn Anonymous (PA). If you need help deciding whether to join PA, call Michael at 347-699-2368, or email help@pornanonymous.org to schedule a time to talk. For more information visit pornanonymous.org (Hebrew: p-a.org.il / Yiddish: pa-yid.org).

Sexaholics Anonymous (SA)
If your compulsive acting-out has progressed beyond the screen (with other people, paid sexual services, etc.) we suggest you explore joining Sexaholics Anonymous (SA). To figure out if SA is for you, call Dov at 917-414-8205, or email Dov at dov@guardyoureyes.org to schedule a time to talk. For more information visit www.sa.org.